Prathyusha Konda, Ph.D.

I am a cancer immunologist and bioinformatician specializing in both wet lab techniques (immunology, molecular biology) and computational approaches (single-cell RNA/ATAC, bulk-RNA/Exome, ChIRP-seq). My research focuses on uncovering tumor-intrinsic and extrinsic factors driving therapeutic responses in rare kidney cancers and designing personalized immuno/combination therapies.

I earned my Ph.D. in Immunology from Dalhousie University, where my thesis explored tumor antigen discovery for cancer vaccines and developing immunogenic photodynamic therapies for melanoma to enhance T cell-mediated immune responses. Prior to this, I completed my undergraduate degree in Biological Engineering at IIT Madras.

Beyond academic interests, I hold leadership roles with postdoc associations, focusing on improving mentorship and advocating for graduate student mental health and gender equality. At Dalhousie, I co-founded the Graduate Student Peer Support Network to support these causes. I’m always open to discussions about science, women empowerment, or mental health—feel free to connect!

When I’m not in the lab, you’ll find me reading, painting, stargazing, or enjoying nature and good food with great company. You can check out my current reads on Goodreads and my art on DoodlePhD. Thanks for visiting!